We share the earth with birds who live among us, yet they remain mysterious. In this course, we will examine the fascinating characteristics, habits, and lives of North American birds including how they keep warm; how they fly; when, why, and how they sing; and more. Our classes will be broken down into these categories: bird ancestry and anatomy; diet and nesting; flight and migration; threats; behavior and songs. We will cover birds of prey, songbirds, waterfowl, and the common loon. Join this interesting exploration of how birds live, move, breathe, and think.

Instructor: Elizabeth Burnette attended Cornell University for a BS in engineering physics, then worked on Space Shuttle experiments at NASA's Jet Propulsion Laboratory. She then obtained a master's degree in Astrophysics from the University of Pittsburgh. Burnette has been teaching astrophysics, physics, and science for the Osher Lifelong Learning Institute at Pitt and is a returning Osher Online instructor. 

Course dates: Wednesdays, January 29 to March 5, from 11:00 AM to 12:30 PM (Eastern)

Course preview (video): https://vimeo.com/957179457?share=copy

Registration is required to attend, and limited space is available.

Osher Online is a shared program exclusively for members of select Osher Lifelong Learning Institutes (OLLIs). This collaboration between the Osher National Resource Center and the School of Professional Studies at Northwestern University presents lecture and discussion-style courses over four academic terms – fall, winter, spring, and summer – yearly. The purpose of Osher Online is to share quality online courses and occasional special community events with local OLLIs.